Mekura,, Vixen's
by Go-ruden Kiba
Summary: vixen's. Tetheus is a new father, but parenting is harder on this single parent than most others. maybe that's because it seems as though the whole world is against the lonely pair from the start.
1. Father

K, so I like this idea, even if chapter one is really, really short. Shorter than my normal standards, it's because I don't want to rush you into the main plot and ruin it for you too soon. So, I hope that you enjoy this AU. I don't' own Dragon Knights, and I don't want any flames, please. No flames, and I will update next Saturday. Thanks!

1

Father

Tetheus stood in the middle of the room, holding his newborn son. There were tears in his eyes as he looked down at the too–tiny form, and they spilled over as he looked beseechingly up at the ceiling.

"One. I have one still here. I can't take care of him on my own, I can't. What am I supposed to do? He's three hours old, I can't feed him, I can't watch him forever, and I can't be there for him all the time. That's why these things are done in PAIRS! So one can watch while the other works, then they trade off! _Now_ how can I do this? I'm on my own, what _now_? What am I supposed to do?" He fell to his knees, and held his only son, his only family, close to his chest. The infant moved slightly, disturbed by the sudden shouting right above its head. "Shh, it's ok, daddy's here now. Nothing will hurt you, not while I'm with you. I'll look after you, I'm here."

Two nurses watched from the window in the door at the grieving father, attracted by the yelling. They stood there, and watched as Tetheus sat fully on the floor, rocking his son a little, then humming to him as the tears rolled aggressively down his cheeks. They were touched at what he was doing. Not too many fathers could stand being that close to a baby that had taken the life of its mother.

"Poor dear, I hope he gets on alright." One nurse whispered to her college, brushing her black hair out of her eyes.

"I don't know, his wife died in child birth. Can't say that he didn't know that it wasn't going to happen."

"You mean that he _planned _this?"

"WHAT! No, it's just that three months ago, the doctor said that either both the mother and the child were going to die, or just the mother."

"Child? But I thought that she had twins?"

"She did, but they didn't know that until she went into labor last night."

"But isn't that so sad. Not only did she die, but so did the older twin."

"What do you mean 'die'? That one didn't even live in the first place. Which is why no one knew it was there. We got lucky, though. The one that he's got now, it looked like it was going to die too. Was all blue and wrapped with the cord around its neck."

"What happened to them?"

"Simple really, the mother came down with a cold before she got pregnant, and they thought that it went away. Only thing was, it didn't. It became worse as time went on without them knowing, and it hurt the infants too. You saw how small the second one is. Half the size, and really thin? Most babies have that pug like look to them, but this one looks like it's a stick or something."

"I really think that we should help him out. He lost his wife and one of his sons all in one day. And he's lucky to have that one now. He should go lie down. I'll get the doctor."

With that, the nurse ran off while her friend pushed the door open, and cautiously went over to the new father.

"Sir… Tetheus, I need to take your son to the ward. He'll be feed there, and kept warm. If the doctor sees the need, put in an incubator, possibly. You just need to give me your son, then you can go rest and see him later, 'mkay?"

"Alfeegi." Tetheus muttered, looking up at her with tear-strained eyes.

"Hmm?"

"He has a name. It's Alfeegi. His mother wanted to call him that, so that will be his name. And if you don't mind, I want to stay with him a bit longer. Please." The nurse considered him for a moment, wondering if he could be trusted. More than likely, he was blaming the child for his wife's death, and if so, he could more than likely hurt the newborn.

But the pleading in his eyes was too strong. She gave in, and nodded, turning to leave.

"I won't hurt him." She turned, and looked at Tetheus, who spoke as he rose. "I know that you're thinking that I'm going to hurt Alfeegi. But I won't. I don't blame him, it's not his fault that she was sick. It's not his fault that he's the only one left. It's not like Alfeegi could choose. No, she knew what was going to happen, I did as well. We made this choice. I will love him the way I would have if his mother and brother lived. There will be no difference. I can assure you of that."

She stayed for a moment longer, looking at the father as he sat himself in a chair, cradling his son to his warmth. She watched as Tetheus kissed Alfeegi's forehead, and stroked the top of his head lightly, carefully. She smiled, and walked out as Tetheus nodded off to sleep, holding Alfeegi tighter and closer as peace fell over the mourning and exhausted form of the new, widower father, and his son.

vxr

It was eight months after Tetheus brought Alfeegi home that trouble started. The first of which was where Tetheus could put Alfeegi when work would start up for him again. His leave was extended, as now he was single, and had to raise the boy on his own. At first, Tetheus couldn't bare to be too far away from his son, so Tetheus would sleep on the couch, with little Alfeegi perched on his chest, both sleeping still and peacefully pretty much through the night. Contrary to what Tetheus had come to think about infants, Alfeegi never cried, he would sleep almost through the night, (only wakening in the middle to squirm, telling Tetheus that Alfeegi had been in one spot too long and needed to move), and that Alfeegi was happiest (so it looked like to his father) when Tetheus sat on the couch, and held Alfeegi to his chest. Tetheus couldn't understand why though.

One thing that Tetheus was worried about was how Alfeegi was very quiet; never crying, fussing silently, and how after eight months, his hair was growing fast, but he still hadn't opened his eyes. But now Tetheus was facing the problem of what to do with Alfeegi. His office had a strict no children policy #, and money would get low if he had to quit. All of this in a big, empty house where the only reason that Tetheus even went upstairs was to change his cloths. A father and a three-month-old, in a giant house that he and his wife had once lived in, and no means of knowing what the next day would hold.

Tetheus was pondering all of this on the couch one mid-day. Alfeegi was asleep on his father's chest, twitching now and then, as dreams took over the young mind. Tetheus could feel his son's small, quick breaths; and the sun was streaming through the window, warming the tranquil pair. Tetheus was almost asleep when the phone rang. Jarring him fully awake, he carefully reached over and grabbed the phone before it could bother his son, and winced as Alfeegi moved a little, also awoken by the loud sound.

"Hello?" Tetheus answered, trying to comfort his son at the same time.

"Tetheus!" Came the answer. Tetheus eased up considerably at that moment. He knew that voice, even if it was coming long distance over his phone. It looked as though there might be an answer.

"Lykouleon, it's good to hear from you. So, what country are you in now? Or are you halfway between someplace?"

"Good thing you asked. Raseleane and I are coming home to see you two! I was kind of wondering if you could pick us up at the airport tomorrow. I'm sorry that it's such short notice, but the Travel Company said that our package expires tomorrow. We thought that we still had another month." Tetheus smiled. He would have no problem with picking his friends up from the airport. He could show off his son to them. And he could ask the childless couple if they could watch him for a little while, just until he worked something out with his job.

Then he frowned. "to see you two!" is what Lykouleon had said. Tetheus knew that he had meant Tetheus and his _wife_. He didn't know that both his wife and son were dead, and now it was only he and his two-minute younger son in the huge house. Lykouleon had left a year and a half ago on a vacation, and didn't even know that Tetheus was going to _be_ a father. Lykouleon had been unreachable for most, if not all, of the time.

"Sure, no problem. What time do you come in, and where?"

vxr

Tetheus stood at the gate with Alfeegi in his arms, watching the passengers file off the plane one by one. Most, if not all of them were wiping their eyes from drowsiness, as it was a seven-hour flight, and there were no stopovers. Then, bounding out of the plane came the ever-energetic Lykouleon, with his wife trudging behind him.

"Tetheus! You came! Where's Joyce? And who's this? Were you two too busy to not tell us that we were going to have more family? Raseleane, come look at what Tetheus found on his doorstep!"

"Yes, dear." Raseleane muttered, flopping her bag down on a bench then standing beside her husband. She immediately livened up when she saw just what Lykouleon was bouncing on the balls of his feet over. "Oh, he's just adorable. What's his name Tetheus?" she questioned, running her fingers through the child's semi-long blue/green hair.

"Alfeegi." Tetheus answered. "And I'm sure Joyce would have wanted to come, if she was still here." Silence fell over the little group. Alfeegi moved a little bit, then snuggled closer into Tetheus' shoulder.

"I … I'm sorry, Tetheus. I didn't know."

"I know that you didn't know, you haven't been around. I'm not blaming you or anything. I'm just letting you know."

"Was it child birth that did it?" Raseleane asked quietly. Tetheus nodded.

"There were twins. This one survived. I'm sorry to say that his older brother and his mother did not."

"He's very small." Lykouleon commented after a moment.

"Yes, the doctors were concerned that he wouldn't have enough body weight on him to survive the night. But look at him, here at an airport with me."

"He's well behaved." Raseleane noted. Tetheus smiled, nothing got passed her.

"You should see him normally. He's such an angle. I've never heard him cry, not even when he was born. He fusses now and then, only for a moment or two. This is the liveliest I've ever seen him. He doesn't ask for much, but I'll give him whatever he needs. Already do."

vxr

The ride home was uneventful. Some questions of what had been going on at home. Lots of questions of what other countries were like, and plenty of cooing over little Alfeegi when he sighed in his sleep in the car seat. That night, though, was a little different.

Upon getting home, Tetheus proceeded to cook everything in the house for the welcome back dinner, while Lykouleon and Raseleane looked over Alfeegi. They noticed that he wasn't very social, and preferred to sleep snuggled in Raseleane bosom rather than anything else. Just as dinner was served, the storm that had been promised since the week before finally came in. It rained peacefully enough at first. But by desert, it was shaping up to be a wild one. The small group just left the dinning room when the first clash of thunder rolled in from right over the house itself. That woke little Alfeegi from his doze in his father's arms, and sent him wailing.

At first, Tetheus tried to calm Alfeegi down, only to wind up hugging the boy to his chest in desperation. As soon as he did that, Alfeegi stopped crying, and fell silent. After a moment or two of quiet, Alfeegi cooed happily to himself, and looked up at his father for the first time.

Tetheus' breath caught in his throat. Alfeegi's eyes were gorgeous! A sparkling copper that would remind anyone of a newly minted penny. They were huge, and held trust in them as they met their fathers. Tetheus smiled. His son had cried for the very first time, and he had also opened his eyes. Relief rushed through every inch of him as he looked into the orbs of his son, knowing that Alfeegi was every bit the son he had hoped for.

"I'm guessing that's a good thing?" Lykouleon interrupted the tranquil scene before him, only to receive an elbow in the ribs from Raseleane. Tetheus smiled.

"Yes, it's a very good thing."

Only it wasn't.

Two days went by before Tetheus started to worry over his son. After the thunderstorm, Alfeegi became a little more baby-ish. He was finally curious, turning at every sound that the house made, and making small sounds of complaint whenever Tetheus would put him down in the crib and left the room. After Lykouleon and Raseleane had left that night, Tetheus proceeded to figure out why Alfeegi was calmed by Tetheus so quickly. He sat with Alfeegi on his chest, just until Alfeegi was asleep.

Then he carefully pulled his son off his chest, and found that the child tried to grab at him. And when he was walking around, it seemed as though Alfeegi made a point to keep his ear pressed to his father's chest. That could only mean one thing. Alfeegi liked to listen to Tetheus' heartbeat. It only made sense. Alfeegi had spent nine months listening to his mother's heart, so why not listen to his father's now?

But the reason that Alfeegi was worrying Tetheus was that the only way he could get Alfeegi's attention was to call his name. He wouldn't respond to waving things in front of him, and he never watched the world around him. Tetheus was especially worried when he read a book to Alfeegi, but when he pointed out the pictures, the boy never looked away from his feet.

Taking Alfeegi to his pediatrician, he had him checked out and explained his concerns to the doctor. After some time spent in the office, Tetheus learned just what it was that pleagued his son.

"He's blind." The doctor stated bluntly, not looking up form his notes.

"What?" Tetheus thought that the doctor was joking with the over worked father.

"Your son was born completely blind. He can't see a thing in front of him. Lives in darkness, blind as a bat. Do you want me too spell it out for you?" Tetheus held his son closer, and sat down heavily in the chair behind him.

"But, what did this too him? What can I do with him? How can I teach him, raise him? How can – but I… what do I do?"

"Raise him like you normally would. Now if you excuse me, I have other patients." And with that parting word, he left. Tetheus sat on the chair, starring at his son, whose big, blind copper eyes stared back at him. After a few minutes, Tetheus rose, walked up to the front desk, and requested to have a new pediatrician lined up for him… one that specialized in blind children.

* * *

#k, so I don't know when babies open their eyes, I'm guessing that it's like cats and dogs where it takes a little while to open their eyes, I just don't know how long, and those pages, for some reason, would not load. Also,I don't know how long maturnity leave is. So, I guessed. Also, I don't know if companies can have that kind of policy, but you know what, it's just a plot mover, so let it slide, please? 


	2. Wanted

K, so I'm sorry that this is a little late, my disk wasn't working. So this is the next chapter, I thank MMRoxxand Random Rath Fan for the reviews. It's kinda on a time warp for a little, just until I get to the main part of the plot. I know that the title is a little odd. One of its meanings is of ignorance, which will come into play later. I don't own Dragon Knights, and I thank Go-ruden Kiba for posting these up for me. I must apologize. This is the shortest chapter I have ever written, and I hope that this will be the last time that I write something so short. The next one will be longer, though I have no idea when it will be up. Maybe Sunday, #crosses fingers #. One last thing, then I'll let you on with the story. I have no idea how babies grow, and frankly, I don't care. If Alfeegi grew at a normal pace, then there would be no conflict, would there? So, I know that my numbers are wrong… it's a plot point. So please, don't flame me on this, I have told you my reasoning, and it shouldn't matter. I don't want to be correct because that's not how I want my story to go. No flames please.

2

Wanted

"Please, I can't live off of social security alone. You've got to keep me here, he has another place to stay for the day, he doesn't need to come with me."

"I'm very sorry, Mr. Tetheus, but company policy has already been stretched for you and your son, and we can't bend them anymore."

"But what am I supposed to do? I'm already trying to raise a child on my own with only the SS checks that come in the mail. I'm going to need more then that when he starts to get older. And with a new doctor, how can I pay him without the insurance that you have?"

"Please, sir, leave the office. There is nothing that I can do."

Sighing dejectedly, Tetheus left the office that he had been trying to get his job back in. Carrying his box of personal items that had been on his desk, he trudged out to his car, stuffed the box in the trunk, and sat in the driver's seat, head in hands. His life seemed to be crashing down around his ears. Nine and a half months ago, Tetheus had not only lost his wife, but he had lost the older of the two twins she had been barring. Now he had a giant house, with only him, and his nine and a half-month-old son. He had found out not too long ago that his son was born blind, that he could have serious medical problems because he was born small, thin, and half-dead. After almost a year, he was still small, and thin. Although very healthy, he was still underweight, and no matter how much and what Tetheus fed him, Alfeegi just didn't gain any weight. Every month, he had gotten a death benefit check in the mail.

He started up the car, knowing that he had to go pick Alfeegi up from Lykouleon's, although he really didn't want to face his son now that he no longer had a job. Not that his son would understand what was going on, but it's still that idea that he could no longer support him the way he had wanted to. He had a feeling that if he didn't find a new job soon, he'd have to sell everything and find a small apartment.

vxr

Three months after losing his job, Tetheus was ready to give in. Alfeegi was growing quickly, and was often seen with Tetheus, eyes wide and fingers exploring the world that was forever dark to him. Tetheus would sit with him in the living room, talking with to him, reading aloud, and some times even singing to his son. Alfeegi was trying to sound out some words that Tetheus was trying to teach him, but he could not actually speak yet. Now that he didn't have anywhere to be during the day, it was easy for Tetheus to be there for his son as often as possible. He still looked for work, though, and he felt like he had been to every job opportunity in town, only to be turned down by each one in turn.

Finally, needing to have some one that could not only help pay the bills, but watch over Alfeegi as Tetheus continues to look for work, Tetheus put a want add in the newspaper for a tenant. He had a big enough house, and it's not like he slept in any of the rooms anyway. He and Alfeegi still slept together on the couch; Alfeegi lulled to sleep by the constant rhythm of Tetheus' heart as they rested on the soft cushions of the couch. One Monday, it seemed that heaven had finally taken pity on the single father and his son.

Tetheus was laying on the couch with the TV on, in his pajamas, and Alfeegi lying in his arms. Alfeegi was fast asleep, curled in the crook of Tetheus elbow, and would shift and sigh every once and a while. Tetheus was just about to drift off into slumber and join his son when there was a knock at the door. Blinking blearily, Tetheus lifted his head. After a moment, he put it back onto the pillow, thinking that it was merely a figment of his tired mind. Seconds later, the knock returned. This time, he knew that it was real.

Shifting to put Alfeegi onto the cushion so that he wouldn't roll off the couch, he shook himself awake, and answered the door. On the doorstep were two men. One with white hair, and the other that had at one time been a red head, but it was obvious that he was a brunet, as he had let his hair grow out quiet a bit. Their conversation was cut short by the opening of the door by a bleary eyed – pajama clad Tetheus.

"Can I help you?" Tetheus muttered as the men blinked at him, surprised at what had greeted them.

"Um…" the white haired be-speckled young adult glanced at the older man next to him, and shrugged. "Are you Tetheus?"

"Mm-Hmm." Tetheus sniffed.

"You were the one that put out the room for rent?"

"Mm-Hmm."

"We would like to rent two rooms, if there are two, that is." The older one with the red/brown hair piped in.

"M'kay. Fallow me, bring your stuff, and stay quiet. I don't want you to wake 'im." Tetheus turned, and led the two into the house, and up the stairs. The two looked at each other, then at the quickly retreating back. Grabbing their stuff, they rushed inside quietly, and ran up the stairs after their new landlord. Once they reached the landing, they saw Tetheus at the end of the hall.

"Sorry if it's a little dusty. I don't come up here too often. These will be your rooms. You decide who is to get the right, and who is to get the left. You can do whatever you want to them. Paint them, wallpaper them, break the furniture, I don't care. Just no women after nine, be back here by ten unless you tell me before hand so that I don't lock you out, and no smoking. That's basically it. Have fun."

"Um, maybe you would like to have our names?" the brown haired one asked tentatively.

"Sure, whatever. But if I don't remember them when I'm fully awake, don't blame me, m'kay? Now if you don't mind, I'm gong back to sleep." And with that, Tetheus turned around, walked down the stairs, and turned off the TV.

The men that now shared the house with him followed him quietly down the stairs. They watched as Tetheus picked up his son from the couch, stroked his hair, then laid down and was asleep within seconds. Glancing at each other, they smiled. Feeling that there wasn't going to be too much to worry about, they headed to their new rooms to figure out which room would belong to whom. They unpacked, then followed Tetheus' example. They fell asleep in their rooms, and the day slowly passed the quiet, slumbering house.


	3. Daddy!

K, so we're still on time warp, for this chapter only. The next chapter will be a little better. Please remember, I don't know when things happen in real life, and to be my uncle, I don't care. That was a joke, 'cause my uncle's name is Frank, so I'm being frank with you. Get it? Anyway, I don't own Dragon Knights, and once again, for the last time, I give you the short chapter!

3

Daddy!

"I know that he didn't make a great first impression, but I think that we can give this place a try."

"I don't want to move out either Kai-Stern! It's the cheapest, closest, most comfortable place so close to the campus! It's just that, well, as much as I like it here already, he's got a little kid! More than likely, it's gonna keep us up all night when there's a test or something! You know that I can't cook when I'm tired!"

"At least give him a try Ruwalk! It might not even be his! For all we know, he might be babysitting, and forgot about the crib, okay? Just, please, Ruwalk? They won't let us into the fraternity, and the last landlord kicked us out! I WANT TO BE IN A PLACE THAT ISN'T RAT INFESTED!"

"Kai-Stern, you didn't even let that place have a chance."

"A chance! Then what do you call what _you're_ doing here to _this_ place! But the moment that I saw the stupid thing with the ears and the tail and the… ick!"

"So the guy's pet rat was the size of a shepherd dog! So what, at least it was his pet and there was only one."

"ONLY ONE! Ruwalk! He had a RAT FARM out in the BACK YARD! And I don't even want to have a class pet!"

"So? This guy has a little _kid_!"

"RUWALK! I don't care! I love kids! I'm trying to become a teacher! You love kids, you're trying to learn how to open a kids restaurant! I don't think that anyone is going to let us stay anywhere if not here! You wanna know WHY? Because we are brothers that SLEEP WITH EACH OTHER!"

"KAI-STERN! Shut up will you? Not everyone in the whole world has to know."

"What on earth is going on in here? WHO THE HELL ARE YOU TWO?" Kai-Stern and Ruwalk looked up from their conversation in the kitchen that had been steadily growing louder, only to see a red eyed, half dressed, confused man that was now their landlord.

"Um… we're your new tenants, you rented out some rooms to us yesterday." Ruwalk offered, getting up from the table. "I'm Ruwalk, and this is my brother, Kai-Stern." Tetheus blinked.

"I rented out those rooms finally?" He muttered, glancing at the clock, and opening the fridge for a late lunch, shifting Alfeegi from one arm to the other. "'Bout time, I never use them. So, you guys are from the collage? Good, it's been a while since I've known anyone that might know my old teachers. So, what are you kids studying?"

"Um, I'm majoring in English. I want to be an English teacher for some high school. Ruwalk's majoring in culinary arts, and minoring in childcare. He wants to open a kid's restaurant. School starts for us here in about a week." Tetheus blinked at Kai-Stern. Hiking his pajama pants back up to his waist, he pulled out a sandwich, and a jar of mashed peas.

"Well, I wish you guys luck in that, they're hard to do, but I hope that it works out for you. Meanwhile, I'm gonna go feed my son, feed myself, get dressed, and go look for a job again. If anyone calls and you two pick up, take a message, m'kay?"

"Can I hold him?" Kai-Stern blurted out suddenly. Tetheus turned around, blinked, and held his son closer.

"I don't know. I don't know you two very well yet. Not at all, actually."

"I won't hurt him, I promise." Kai-Stern held his arms out. Tetheus looked at him, then at Alfeegi, then back. Slowly, he put the wide-eyed Alfeegi into the outstretched arms, and Kai-Stern held him close, so as not to hurt him.

"His name's Alfeegi." Tetheus stared at his son. Alfeegi reached up with his tiny fingers, and touched Kai-Stern's glasses. A small smile and a slight giggle escaped the boy, who wanted to know where he was.

He knew that he wasn't in his father's arms, this person wasn't as warm, nor as muscular. Also, they smelled different. Already, Alfeegi was learning to distinguish people by the way they felt, sounded, and smelled, since he couldn't see them.

"See Ruwalk, isn't he just the cutest thing? Alfeegi, huh? That's a beautiful name. Where's his mother?" Tetheus was silent. Taking Alfeegi from Kai-Stern's arms, he picked his food back up, and left to the living room. Glancing at each other, they followed Tetheus out of the kitchen. He sat on the couch, and began to eat his sandwich, while balancing Alfeegi on one knee, and Alfeegi's food on the other.

"Tetheus, would you like me to feed him? You look like you're a bit busy." Ruwalk offered.

"No. I'm fine." The reply was short, angry.

"Tetheus. I'm sorry, I must have hit a spot or something. I didn't know. Can you forgive me?" Kai-Stern offered. Tetheus sighed just as the phone rang.

Tetheus' head snapped up, and he stood, setting the food on the coffee table and shifting Alfeegi back into his arms, he dashed to the phone on the end table beside the door. Picking up the receiver, he cradled it between his shoulder and his ear, then stroked Alfeegi's hair as the boy leaned against his father's chest.

"Hello? Yes, that's me. You are? Really? When? Three o'clock. All right, I'll be there. Ok. Ok. Of course! Can I bring my son? Thank you, thank you very much!" he hung up the phone, only to stand there and stare at the now quite appliance. A moment later, he set Alfeegi down on the couch, and ran, whooping, up the stairs and into his almost completely unused bedroom. Kai-Stern and Ruwalk glanced at each other. Then their attention was turned to the small boy that was put on the cushions a moment ago. The teal haired boy was giggling, clapping his hands, and smiling. Ruwalk had the vague feeling that Alfeegi was smarter than a normal nine-and-a-half-month-old child was, and that he wasn't letting on. He knew there was something going on, and he had a feeling that Alfeegi knew just what it was, even if the adults in the room didn't.

Crossing the room, Ruwalk knelt in front of the young boy, examining him as best he could without touching him. Alfeegi's large, dazzling eyes blinked, but never explored Ruwalk's face. To Ruwalk, it looked as though Alfeegi would rather stare just over his head, rather than right at him. Moments later, Tetheus came charging down the stairs, showered, groomed, shaved, and dressed for business. He finished the rest of his sandwich, and picked Alfeegi up.

"Hey Alfeegi! Guess what, your dad's going to an interview! I just might get hired! It's the first one that I've been to in a long time, so let's see if I still got it, okay? So, what am I missing? Shirt, pants, shower, shave, I've gelled my hair back, I brushed my teeth… well, what else do I need?" He hugged Alfeegi, kissing his forehead and touching his nose with his finger. Alfeegi giggled, then touched Tetheus' neck. Tetheus blinked. "Oh! My tie!" He ran back up stairs again. Ruwalk and Kai-Stern looked at each other.

"You saw that, right?" Kai-Stern muttered.

"Yup." Ruwalk nodded, just as Tetheus ran back down the stairs, tying his last piece of clothing.

"Daddy!" Alfeegi shouted, clapping his hands. The house stood still. The sound of the large Black Forest Clock on the wall stopped clacking with each swing of the pendulum. The dust that was floating lazily in the sun froze in mid air and hung there. And a smile slowly spread across Tetheus' lips.

"Alfeegi… you, you called me… daddy!" He could hardly breath. Lifting his son, Tetheus kissed his forehead, and held him as tight as possible. Tears streamed down his cheeks, and dropped into his hair. Alfeegi was confused. Looking up, he reached to Tetheus' face, and touched the water. Then he put his fingers with the tears on them into his mouth, finding that he didn't like the taste.

"Daddy?" Tetheus broke down completely then, falling to his knees, not caring that there were others in the room looking at him worriedly.

"If only your mother could see you now. Come on Alfeegi, I have to get going. We're going to get me a job, and then we can get you everything that you've ever wanted. Ever will want! We're getting better Alfeegi. Who knows? Maybe things are finally looking up for us!" With that, Tetheus took his keys, went out to his car, strapped his son into the car seat that was belted into the back, and went to his job interview.


	4. Fight

K, so I don't own DK, nor Beauty and the Beast. I was just doing that musical with my school, so I listen to it every morning. It's stuck in my head. Save me. Anyway. It's short. I ran out of ideas for this chapter. I know that I promised that this one will be longer, but actually, it is. This one is 5 pages on my comp, while the other ones were only 3 or 4. So, I did kinda keep my promise. The next one is skipping ahead a few years, so it should be better. Ibidy – ibidy – ibidy that's all folks!

4

Fight

"Well, how did you do?" Kai-Stern asked as the door opened to reveal a very well dressed Tetheus carrying Alfeegi in his arms. Cradling his wide-awake son, he sat on the couch with a sigh, then looked up at the brothers that were now his housemates. Smiling slightly, he sat Alfeegi in his lap and started playing with the teal hair that was so much like his mother's.

"I've got the job! I start tomorrow, _and_ I can bring him with me!"

"That's great!"

"Yeah, that's all fine and all, but I'm still confused." Ruwalk sat cross-legged on the floor in front of him. "I have no idea who you are, or what's been going on." Tetheus stared at the two-toned man below him.

"Well, I guess the first thing you should know is that this little man here is my son, Alfeegi. He's not like other children, you might have noticed."

"Sort of. He's not very inquisitive, is he?" Kai-Stern swung his lanky legs over the back of the couch, and plopped down on the cushion next to Tetheus.

"There would be a reason for that you know."

"Really… I hadn't guessed." Ruwalk rolled his eyes. "Tell us already, what is it with you and him?"

So Tetheus spent the next three hours retelling his history with Alfeegi to the brothers that now took up residence in his home. Kai-Stern felt really bad from having mentioned Alfeegi's mother after Tetheus had explained what had happened to her. Ruwalk was amazed, and now understood why Alfeegi didn't look at him as Tetheus told them of the doctor that was fired soon after his visit. The two college students brought into the air their thoughts about Alfeegi, and how they thought that there might be something superhuman about the boy.

"They could be, though I highly think that it'd be 'superhuman'. It's been proven that children that learn to talk early tend to have higher I.Q. than most. There's also how other senses are heightened because he can't use his eyes. I couldn't tell you, I've spent his whole life with him, so I don't notice anything out of the ordinary. Well, it's your turn now, who are you, and where are you from?"

"Well, we're college students from DSC. We're about three years from graduating, if we take the right amount of credits, and this is the fourth lodging that we've signed into. The first one **mom** kicked us out of, so that was a bust. She actually kinda disowned us, but whatever." Ruwalk started, looking up at the upside-down Tetheus, as Ruwalk was lying on the floor, his head between Kai-Stern's feet.

"The second one burned down when our room mate was baking a cake and we were out at class. We lost all of our stuff. Then we tried the fraternity. We had different… _opinions_… than they did, so we were locked out for a week, we needed a new place. We've been shopping for a while, and have actually stayed in a hotel for the last two weeks." Kai-Stern shuddered at the thought of the different rental places they've seen. "I just couldn't stand rats, and that guy didn't like _us_ so he kicked us out after the first hour… let's just say that it's not been easy."

"So how well do you cook?" Tetheus asked, looking down at Ruwalk.

"Alright I guess. I haven't burnt anything yet, but I can't do too well if I'm tired. Mostly I just undercook stuff if I can't keep my eyes open."

"He's gotten me sick once. He forgot to cook the fish."

"I did not, you were allergic to the type of fish I made."

"Yeah, and it was uncooked!"

"Was not."

"Was too."

"Was not."

"Was too."

"Was not!"

"_Was too!"_

"_Was not!"_

"_Was too!"_

"**_Was not!"_**

"**_Was too!"_**

"Enough!"

The brothers stopped fighting and looked at the angry man that was standing over them. Somehow, in the process of the bought, the two had wound up grappling and pulling hair on the floor. Ruwalk released Kai-Stern's ear from his mouth, and Kai-Stern undid his sleeper hold around Ruwalk's neck.

"Sorry." They muttered at the same time.

"It's alright, just don't do it again."

"So, what's with the name 'Alfeegi'?" Ruwalk asked, untangling his hair from Kai-Stern's fanged ear-cuff.

"It was his mother's maiden name."

"He doesn't look anything like you."

"He has my ears."

"Well, he'd better give them back, you need to hear after all."

Tetheus and Kai-Stern stared at Ruwalk. He blushed and looked at the ground, muttering about how no one has a sense of humor.

"Ruwalk, that's just about as funny as Cogsworth's 'If it's not Baroque, don't fix it' joke. Don't do it again." Kai-Stern glowered.

"Yes sir." He muttered.

"Well, I', turning in for the night, if you care to join me Ruwalk, think twice, 'cause you're not on a nice list at the moment." Kai-Stern stood and stretched. Ruwalk whimpered and gave his best puppy eyes at his brother, a small "pwease" bubbling forth from his pouting lips.

"No."

"Pwease?"

"No."

"Pwease?"

"No!"

"Pwease?"

"_No!"_

"Pwease?"

"**_No!"_**

"Pwease?"

"**_No!"_**

"Pwease?"

"THAT'S IT! STOP IT NOW AND GO TO YOUR OWN SEPARATE ROOMS NOW OR I WILL THROW YOU IN THERE!" Again, both men untangled themselves from their fight. They quickly scampered up stairs, and Tetheus tried to calm hi son, who was looking lost and covering his ears from the sound.

vxr

When Alfeegi was asleep on the couch when Tetheus went up stairs, and into Kai-Stern's room. When he knocked on the door and opened it, he found Ruwalk spread-eagled on the floor, begging Kai-Stern again. They stopped as soon as Tetheus entered the room.

"Tetheus! How c-can we help you?" Kai-Stern sputtered, his pale face flushed.

"That's actually why I came up here. If you two want to have sex then either make sure that my son is asleep, or not in the house. And if you wake either him or me with it, then you're out, got it?"

"Yes!" They both squeaked.

"Um, how did you know?" Kai-Stern asked.

"This morning, you two were yelling it so loudly that I think my neighbors heard you." Tetheus turned, and closed the door. the brothers – turned – lovers blinked at the wooden door that Tetheus had disappeared behind, and slept in separate rooms that night.


End file.
